Why practise without words

Non-verbal games make children look closely at faces and bodies, notice small differences and check whether they have understood. They also help children see how their own posture and expression come across to others.

Because no speaking is needed, these games often suit children who are shy or new to the language. They can take full part and succeed alongside everyone else.

Game 1: Emotion Charades

Players: 4 to 30. Ages: 4 to 10. Time: 10 to 15 minutes. Materials: cards with feeling words and simple face drawings (happy, worried, proud, bored, surprised, cross).

A child takes a card and shows the feeling using only face and body, with no sounds. Others guess. The adult then asks: what clue told you? Was it the eyebrows, the shoulders or the hands? Children take turns until everyone has had a go.

• Easier: use four basic feelings and let the actor point to a drawing afterwards.

• Harder: add a situation, such as proud but trying to hide it, or worried in a library.

• Skill built: recognising and expressing emotions.

Game 2: Silent Line-Up

Players: 8 to 30. Ages: 6 to 12. Time: 5 to 10 minutes. Materials: none.

Tell the group they must line up in order of birthday month, January to December, without speaking, writing or mouthing words. They may use gestures, fingers and pointing. When they think they are done, they check aloud one by one and see how close they came.

• Easier: line up by height, which children can see.

• Harder: line up by the number of letters in their first name, or by house number.

• Skill built: inventing and agreeing on shared signals as a group.

A sample 30-minute session

For ages 7 to 9, begin with 5 minutes of mirror pairs, where one child moves slowly and the partner copies. Play Emotion Charades for 12 minutes, then Silent Line-Up for 8 minutes. Use the final 5 minutes to ask which signals were easy to read and which were confusing.

Keep in mind that gestures and personal space differ between families and cultures. Treat this as something interesting to talk about rather than a right or wrong answer. At home, parents can play Emotion Charades with family photos, guessing what each person was feeling when the picture was taken and what gave it away.

Key points

• Ask children which clue helped them guess.

• Use silent games to include new language learners.

• Start with clear feelings and move to mixed ones.

• Discuss how gestures can differ between cultures.

Ready-made resources

Printable session plans and materials for this topic are available from EduTrend Contents: G4C-120 Talk & Listen Games.

Photos: Erika Giraud, Teah Rushing / Unsplash